wrddtdn Reviews

Underground (I) (1998)

Very mixed movie

[5/10 · 1 January 2024]

The good: Great story, very real reflection of London drugs scene and how it's often driven by the 'underclass' on shabby council estates. For such a low budget feature, the camerawork is often compelling, and the relentless hip-hop rave soundtrack clearly reflects the subject matter.

The bad: Sometimes the acting leaves something to be desired. There's a quite unnecessary element of sleaze in one lengthy scene, and in that scene there is a quite appallingly acted and written scenario involving the guy with white hair/beard and glasses.

All in all it's definitely worth watching provided that the subject matter doesn't turn you off.

World on Fire (2019–2023)

BBC casting - looks before ability

[3/10 · 16 July 2023]

Don't get me wrong - this series is ok and quite watchable. But the annoying thing is that the cast has been chosen for their looks first and foremost. They are competent actors, but there are better out there. I am a bit tired of seeing 'beautiful people' everywhere though. The series would be much much better if there was more realism and less soap opera from gorgeous women and hunky guys.

It is passable in places - if you liked Downton Abbey, you may like it as it's the same kind of clichéd history. The bits set in Germany and the African desert are ok. Ish. Will I watch episode 2? Maybe.

Well, I did, but that's it. Not only was I fed up with good looking but average actors mincing around trying to convince us that they were taking part in a world war rather than a soap opera, there was a final straw: two captions, one saying PARIS, FRANCE, the other BERLIN, GERMANY. For heavens sake, does any viewer need to be told what countries Paris and Berlin are in? And if they do, should they be? I think not.